Lian Ting, Zhang Xudong, Wang Xiye, Wang Rong, Gao Huan, Tai Fadao, Yu Qi
Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xinwang Road, Weiyang District, Xi'an 710021, China.
Research Center for Prevention and Treatment of Respiratory Disease, School of Clinical Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xinwang Road, Weiyang District, Xi'an 710021, China.
Toxicol Res (Camb). 2020 Apr 29;9(3):173-181. doi: 10.1093/toxres/tfaa014. eCollection 2020 Jun.
Chlordecone (CD) is one of the common persistent organic pollutants in nature and has a profound impact on the environment and on public health. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that neonatal exposure of CD influences adult physiology and behavior due to its estrogenic properties. Using socially monogamous mandarin voles as an experimental animal model, the present study aimed to evaluate the impact of neonatal exposure to CD on female social behaviors and central estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) expression in adulthood. After receiving a single subcutaneous injection with sesame seed oil (female control group), 17 beta-estradiol (E group), or CD group on postnatal Day 1, the social behaviors of adult animals and ERα expression in specific brain regions were assessed. The data indicated that CD or E-treated female animals displayed increased affiliative behaviors and decreased aggressive behaviors with regard to the unfamiliar females in the social interaction test. In addition, CD or E-treated female voles exhibited significant preferences to females over males in the sexual preference test. Moreover, CD-treated female animals exhibited higher levels of ERα expression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, the central amygdala, the medial amygdala and the medial preoptic area compared with those of the control voles. The results suggested that neonatal exposure to CD may masculinize female social behaviors, possibly via CD-induced changes in the ERα expression of relevant brain regions.
开蓬（CD）是自然界中常见的持久性有机污染物之一，对环境和公众健康有着深远影响。越来越多的证据表明，由于其雌激素特性，新生期接触CD会影响成年后的生理和行为。本研究以社会性一夫一妻制的棕色田鼠作为实验动物模型，旨在评估新生期接触CD对成年雌性社会行为和中枢雌激素受体α（ERα）表达的影响。在出生后第1天，对雌性动物分别皮下注射芝麻油（雌性对照组）、17β-雌二醇（E组）或CD，之后评估成年动物的社会行为以及特定脑区的ERα表达。数据表明，在社会互动测试中，接受CD或E处理的雌性动物对陌生雌性表现出增加的亲和行为和减少的攻击行为。此外，在性偏好测试中，接受CD或E处理的雌性田鼠对雌性的偏好显著高于雄性。而且，与对照田鼠相比，接受CD处理的雌性动物在终纹床核、中央杏仁核、内侧杏仁核和内侧视前区表现出更高水平的ERα表达。结果表明，新生期接触CD可能会使雌性社会行为男性化，可能是通过CD诱导相关脑区ERα表达的变化实现的。
